Question, what is everyones opinion on the future of elite dangerous?

[The King Nuro]

I really love elite dangerous and wouldn't mind spending more on expansions etc. I know there is an update coming settlements and stuff but is elite dangerous still active? How long will it continue? On steam its 3-5k people active a day which is still great I would think but Odyssey came out in 2021 which is already 4 years ago.

[Spanospy]

Frontier has been releasing new ships that people have paid real money for. According to Frontier, that's been helping them with further development.

I would be extremely surprised if they don't find something else to sell however.

[Sighman]

Last year was one of the best for content since the game launched, and we've also had two years of thargoid war content.

They seem happy to keep adding more stuff if we keep buying ships and cosmetics.

[Devilish Dave]

I think they don't do a good job getting the word out.


I've heard of this game like 10 years ago, but I shrugged at it, because I didn't know anything other than that it's a spaceship game.

I just assumed it's a linear ship game, that will get boring really quick, as there have been countless other games in the past.

No Man's Sky was my first true space game that involved such an expansive map with a lot of activities, and being able to land on planets. I loved it.

Had I known more about Elite Dangerous, I would have been playing it way back before No Man's Sky released.

Then we have Starfield, a game with potential which failed on several fronts, and I strongly believe, that many who anticipated a good game, don't know about Elite Dangerous or at least to the extent where they'd consider giving it a try.

In short, if word would get out what this game is actually about, I do believe it would garner far more attention.

I personally likened it to another game called EVE: Online, a game which might be good, but isn't up my alley.

Elite Dangerous needs to be marketed better, fans of the game can help with that too and if this happens, I do see a positive future for the game, but time will tell.

Generally speaking it feels like sci-fi is picking up heat in entertainment, in shows, movies, and games and therefore the demand for such mediums is increasing. This too might help propel this game in a healthy direction, but at the same time this comes with the down-side of rivals in the industry, games which will have a lot in common with Elite Dangerous and then the game's future becomes questionable again.

But I hope that the developers have plans to navigate this industry and these changes. I'd help them if I could.

[DamachKH]

I've recently put in about 70 hours and plan on sinking many hundreds more into this amazing game!

[rb303]

it's looking better, getting new ships is always nice, powerplay was a pain in the ass which has now been reworked for the better, and now we're getting a feature we've always been asking for, even if it's not quite what we want in terms of how much control we have over stuff we colonise. There's still a ton that could be improved upon and added, but it's a good path we're on right now

[wolf]

I'd love some additional feats like being able to land a fighter on the ground. The base idea of a shuttle pod, a fighter could be so much more than just a dinghy attached to your ship.


The whole concept of the fighter is focused around war and agression, where Elite is so much more than space combat, not taking anything away from space combat. I'm aware its an old core feature and love it myself. But the fighters, used as small one-man-army dropships or even as surface explorers like when you're looking for bio, that would be most welcome.


Also, I'd like me some animated ship doors and ramps. Not slow and boring just quick, similar to the current pace of the TP option to 'board ship'.

Little things that boost immersion and improve the in game experience. Modern space sims should really drag you into their universe, and this requires an ever expanding pile of real life simulated details, effects and features.

[91%]

I think E:D has reached its ceiling. DLC will most likely come, as will new cosmetic items, ships, space suits etc. But it's a very niche game. 3-5k daily players is most likely the best it's going to get. Not counting the odd spike here and there due to big updates or DLC drops. But it's a very niche game. We're not the hero, we wont save the Galaxy, aliens that have weirdly also evolved boobs arent going to throw themselves at us. The Galaxy doesnt care about us. I love it. I'm sick of being generic Hero number 439 that acends to Godhood at Level 20. But I can understand why many people might play for a bit or not at all when they learn the Galaxy is huge and empty. The life of a Space trucker or and adventurer or maybe even a Space combat Ace wont appeal to everyone when they learn the downtime between things can be upwards of a few hours. A lot of gamers now are turned away by a slow burn. They want instant gratification and non-stop action. Thankfully it's Frontiers baby so it's highly unlikely they will abandon it.

[Sighman]

Originally posted by 91%:

I think E:D has reached its ceiling. DLC will most likely come, as will new cosmetic items, ships, space suits etc. But it's a very niche game. 3-5k daily players is most likely the best it's going to get.

You realise SteamDB just counts steam players? It's only about 1/3 or less of the total daily players including other stores - and doesn't include all the console players either.

As an example, the current CG has 14,000 unique participants - official figures.

[91%]

I honestly would have guessed the console players wouldn't be that high after they dropped support for it. It's great to see honestly. I started E:D on the Ps4. Got excited for Odyssey, then disappointed. As soon as I got a PC that could handle E:D purchased it again.

[Freyar]

I'm glad to see a resurgence of players, old and new. With upcoming major systems at the end of this month, I'm hoping to see more pressure forward and a new story arc to review. (I don't think the Thargoids are done..)

[SomethingCoolBro]

They could multiply their player count with:

1) Ship interiors
2) Planetary atmospheres and weather effects

But it would probably require dev investment they're unwilling to make.


In the meantime I think it's a fabulous simulation that child-me playing Elite 2: Frontier could only dream of.

[Poltergeist]

I'd like to see them reduce third party tool requirements. Let us plot trade routes and other things that Inara provides easily within the game. I'd love to see them focus on QOL in general and other polish, like better AA (DLAA, etc).

[Agony_Aunt]

Originally posted by SomethingCoolBro:

They could multiply their player count with:

1) Ship interiors
2) Planetary atmospheres and weather effects

3) Cockpit cats

[The man, the myth, the leg]

Pretty optimistic
They have done a lot to improve the experience in the recent years, which will probably bring in a lot of new and returning players
While the game is past it's prime I don't know of any plans to replace it

[Bullpup]

The initial premise of the game was outstanding, the community is fantastic, the low hanging fruits are plentiful, and on those alone Elite can go on for a good few years.

The question is how long does Frontier have to run given its string of financial flops, mass layoffs and lack of potential big hits in the pipeline. The temptation for more aggressive pay to win in Elite will be irresistible and that will change the nature of the game and the community.